Jude 1:12 These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted: houtoi eisin (3PPAI) hoi en tais agapais humon spilades suneuochoumenoi (PPPMPN) aphobos heautous poimainontes (PAPMPN) nephelai anudroi hupo anemon parapheromenai (PPPFPN) (Textus Receptus has peripheromenai) dendra phthinoporina akarpa dis apothanonta (AAPNPN) ekrizothenta (AAPNPN) are spots (reefs) = 2Pe 2:13,14 love feasts = 11.21-1Cor.11.22" class="scriptRef">1Co 11:21,22, Acts 2:46, 20:7, 11, caring for = Ps 78:29, 30, 31; Isa 56:10-12; Ezek 34:8,18; Lk 12:19,20,45; 16:19; 21:34; Php 3:19; 1Th 5:6,7; Jas 5:5 clouds = Pr 25:14; Hos 6:4; 2Pe 2:17 carried = Ep 4:14 trees = Ps 1:3; 37:2; Mt 13:6; 21:19,20; Mk 4:6; 11:21; Lk 8:6; Jn 15:4, 5, 6 twice = 1Ti 5:6; Heb 6:4-8; 2Pe 2:18-20 plucked = 2Chr 7:20; Ezek 17:9; Mt 15:13; Mk 11:20 Amplified - These are hidden reefs (elements of danger) in your love feasts, where they boldly feast sumptuously [carousing together in your midst], without scruples providing for themselves [alone]. They are clouds without water, swept along by the winds; trees, without fruit at the late autumn gathering time—twice (doubly) dead, [lifeless and] plucked up by the roots Barclay - These people are hidden rocks which threaten to wreck your Love Feasts. These are the people who at your feasts revel with their own cliques without a qualm. They have no feeling of responsibility to anyone except themselves. They are clouds which drop no water but are blown past by the wind. They are fruitless trees in autumn's harvest time, twice dead and torn up by the roots. NET - These men are dangerous reefs at your love feasts, feasting without reverence, feeding only themselves. They are waterless clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit– twice dead, uprooted; NLT - When these people join you in fellowship meals celebrating the love of the Lord, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are shameless in the way they care only about themselves. They are like clouds blowing over dry land without giving rain, promising much but producing nothing. They are like trees without fruit at harvest time. They are not only dead but doubly dead, for they have been pulled out by the roots. Young's Literal - These are in your love-feasts craggy rocks; feasting together with you, without fear shepherding themselves; clouds without water, by winds carried about; trees autumnal, without fruit, twice dead, rooted up Jude 1:12-13 employs the rich literary device known as term of comparison (specifically using five metaphors, although Wiersbe refers to "Selfish Shepherds" as a sixth metaphor) which presents a picture of something with which most readers would be familiar in order to give us a sense of who these men really on in their heart and actions. Moffatt says "Sky, land and sea are ransacked for illustrations of the character of these men." "A picture is worth a thousand words!" Whenever you encounter these figures of speech, remember as Robertson McQuilkin cautions "Picture talk is one of the greatest problems of interpretation. To treat figurative language as if it were literal and to treat literal language as if it were figurative, constitute two of the greatest hindrances to understanding the meaning of the Bible." See Roy Zuck's excellent discussion of the usefulness of figures of speech, followed by some general "Guidelines for Figuring our Figurative Language." The 1828 Webster's defines metaphor - "A similitude reduced to a single word or phrase or a word expressing similitude without the signs of comparison (without "like" or "as"). Thus "that man is a fox," is a metaphor; but "that man is like a fox," is a simile. So when I say, "the soldiers fought like lions," I use a simile. In metaphor, the similitude is contained in the name; a man is a fox, means, a man is as crafty as a fox. So we say, a man bridles his anger, that is, restrains it as a bridle restrains a horse." DANGEROUS REEFS IN THEIR LOVE FEASTS These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts - These men are like reefs or rocks in the sea (submerged and invisible beneath the surface of the water), but deadly dangerous for ships that might venture near their jagged edges cp [1Ti 1:19]. Jude's picture recalls the disciple's last supper (Passover) with Jesus, where none of the genuine disciples had a clue that there was a Judas betrayer in their midst! "The tragedy is that members of the assembly (which Jude is addressing) did not realize the true character of these men! They thought these men were spiritual!...The mariner who is unaware of the hidden rocks can quickly wreck his ship. The pilot must always be alert, for waters that look calm and sage can contain treacherous reefs. Spiritual leaders must constantly be on guard." "An apostate may be compared to the tip of an iceberg. Very little of it is visible, but it a ship runs into it, the ship will go to the bottom of the sea. Oh, how many people there are, especially young people, whose faith has not only been shaken but wrecked by a person who is an apostate!" (McGee) Beloved, sadly my experience has been that many elders have been little more than token shepherds often selected because of their popularity or business acumen and often functioning virtually as "yes men" for the senior pastor. And because of their failure to discern good from evil, I am personally aware of at least three "shipwrecked" churches! I even warned one elder of the deadly deception inherent in an ostensibly attractive teaching, but it was a warning he neglected, but which eventually resulted in a mass exodus of mature, Bible believing Christians! Any video series, any new program, any new teacher, any new para-church ministry, etc, that comes into your church, needs to be personally and soberly examined by one or more (I favor two) "Bibliocentric" elders. Dear elders, guard the flock! (cp Heb 13:17-note) When they feast with you without fear - These hypocrites have crept in to the fellowship that consisted of mutual sharing of food and love (and probably also the celebration of the Lord's Supper though not everyone agrees this was an integral part) as if they are part of the true flock of God and without any holy, reverential fear of God (cf holy fear believers should have regarding communion - 1Cor 11:27, 28, 29, 30 - "a number sleep" = die!) If indeed communion was part of their Love Feasts, we do well to remember that this calls for believers to approach the table with a holy fear, not a casual nonchalance (an air of easy unconcern or indifference) like these apostates. Hidden reefs ("dangerous reefs") (spilas) is used only here in NT and is erroneously translated "spots" in the KJV because of the similarity to the word spilos (spots) which is used in the parallel description by Peter - "They are stains (spilos) and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you." (2Pe 2:13-note). Homer, in the Odyssey (iii., 298) uses spilas writing "the waves dashed the ship against the rocks (spilas)." This metaphor suggests at least two characteristics of these men - they are concealed (cp wolves in sheep's clothing - Mt 7:15-note) and they present a spiritual danger to the unwary and immature sheep in the flock. "The reference is not merely to the defiled nature of these men but to their pernicious impact, threatening the moral shipwreck of others." (Hiebert) Paul warned the elders about these deceivers writing... I know (Inspired by the Spirit) that after my departure savage wolves (metaphor) will come in among you (a prophecy), not sparing the flock (metaphor); and from among your own selves (an "inside job") men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples (mathetes) after them. Therefore (term of conclusion - Why here? What leads to this conclusion?) be on the alert, (present imperative = command for continual alertness for savage wolves) remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. (Acts 20:29-31-note) NET Note - The word spilas was often used of a mere rock, though it normally was associated with a rock along the shore or one jutting out in the water. Thus, the false teachers would appear as “rocks” - as pillars in the community (cf. Mt 16:18; Gal 2:9), when in reality if a believer got too close to them his faith would get shipwrecked. Some (Editorial Comment: I would say "Most" not some - NAS, ESV, CSB, etc) suggest that spilades here means “hidden rocks.” Though this meaning is attested for the word, it is inappropriate in this context, since these false teachers are anything but hidden (Editorial Comment: I would also argue this point -- Jude 1:4 says they have "crept in unnoticed" -- they did not wear a red suit with horns and a pitchfork -- what is hidden and subtle is their devilish agenda -- however it would obviously not be "hidden" forever and would be discernible by those who had an "Hebrews 5:14 appetite" [note] - "But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained [gumnazo] to discern good and evil.") Love feasts - "Common fellowship meal of the church preceding the Lord's Supper. The Love Feast or Agape (meal) was a significant dimension of the fellowship and worship of the early church. As a concrete manifestation of obedience to the Lord's command to love one another (Jn 13:34, 15:12), it served as a practical expression of the koinonia or communion that characterized the church's life. While the only explicit New Testament reference to the agape meal is found (agapai in Greek) in Jude 1:12 , allusions to the practice may be seen in other New Testament texts. “The breaking of bread” in Acts 2:42 is most likely a reference to a special remembrance of Jesus' last supper with His disciples, but the allusion (Acts 2:46) to their taking of food “with gladness and singleness of heart” implies that a social meal was connected in some way with this celebration. Paul's discussion of the Lord's Supper (1Co 11:17-34) also suggests a combining of the ceremonial act with a common meal. Such a practice is also suggested in Acts 20:7-11 . By the second century the word agapai had become a technical term for such a common meal which seems to have been separated from the ceremonial observance of the Lord's Supper sometime after the NT period." (Holman Bible Dictionary note on Love Feasts) See also Agape feast - Wikipedia. MacArthur on love feasts - Originally, the love feast was intended to be a regular church gathering for the purpose of mutual instruction (cf. Acts 17:11), encouragement (25" class="scriptRef">Heb 10:24–25), confrontation (cf. Heb 3:13), and care (Ro 12:10; 13:8; Gal. 5:13; Eph. 4:2, 25; 5:21; Col. 3:9; 1Th 4:9; 1Peter 4:9–10). The feast was similar to a contemporary potluck dinner held on the Lord’s Day. Believers would gather to worship, hear the teaching of Scripture, celebrate Communion, and then share their common love in a meal (cf. Acts 2:42). (2Peter and Jude MacArthur New Testament Commentary) Hiebert on love feasts - The reference is not to ordinary social meals or banquets but to a communal meal eaten by the early Christians in connection with their church services to express and deepen brotherly love...Although intended to foster mutual love and sharing among believers, the situation at Corinth makes clear that the love offered ready opportunity for conduct that destroyed rather than fostered the sense of Christian brotherhood. Because of the abuses that arose, these fellowship meals were later separated from the observance of the Lord’s Supper. (Second Peter and Jude An Expositional Commentary) When they feast with you = Feast is suneuocheo (sun/syn = together with + euochéo = be well fed, to feast <> eu = well + écho = have) and means basically to have sustenance. "The present tense participle, “when they feast with you”, portrays these men’s practice of turning the “love-feasts” into occasions for personal sumptuous feasting." (Hiebert) See on 2Peter 2:13-note. {Note = The word originally conveys the idea of sumptuous feasting, and is appropriate in view of the fact to which Peter alludes, that these sensualists converted the love-feast into a revel. Compare Paul's words, 1Cor 11:21, "one is hungry and another drunken." This seems to favor the reading agapais. The word occurs only here and Jude 1:12.) Caring for themselves (poimaino) - Literally they were shepherding themselves, with each man doing what is right in his own eyes for his own purposes. Jude's use of this verb poimaino may suggest that indeed these snakes were masquerading as shepherds or leaders. But these men were false shepherds that fed only themselves (Contrast 1Pe 5:2-note). They are like those Paul described in the Church at Corinth "for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk." (1Cor 11:21) "Te apostates shepherded no one but themselves. Their only interest was self-interest and self-gratification—at the expense of anyone else." (MacArthur) Their own schemes and lusts took precedence over the tending of the flock of God. Such "Piranhas" have always been around in religious circles... His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are dumb dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber; And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one. "Come," they say, "let us get wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink; And tomorrow will be like today, only more so." (Isa 56:10-12) Hiebert - These men insisted on participating in these love-feasts, not to express mutual love and concern, but to gratify their own appetites. Jude is condemning their brazen self-indulgence, revealing their true character. Williams remarks, “Satan had been found among the sons of God before this, and such intrusions have not yet ceased.” (Second Peter and Jude An Expositional Commentary) Without fear (aphobos from a = without + phobos = fear, 4x in NT - Lk 1:74, 1Co 16:10, Php 1:14) - These men failed to heed Paul's warning "But let a man examine (dokimazo) himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly." (1Cor 11:28-29) These apostates also remind us of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10), who pretended to be generous givers but were really secretly selfish, so God exposed their hypocrisy and "took them out." Observe the impact on the Church "great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all who heard of these things." These apostates either had never heard this story or simply chose to ignore it. "Lacking a functioning conscience or sense of conviction, and being adept hypocrites, the apostates were able to feast with believers without fear." (MacArthur) Wiersbe on without fear - They are an arrogant lot! This is the difference between a true shepherd and a hireling: the true shepherd cares for the sheep, while the hireling cares only for himself. “Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?” (Ezek 34:2) But these apostates ought to be afraid, for their judgment is coming. (Be Alert 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Jude- Beware of the Religious Impostors) Hiebert on the possible meanings of without fear - "They were devoid of reverence before the spiritual realities intended to be fostered by the love-feasts. If (aphobos is) taken with what follows, “without fear shepherding themselves” (R. Young), the meaning is that their self-serving activities are carried on without any qualms of conscience. They feel no sense of shame because of what they are doing. Under either connection the picture is much the same." (Second Peter and Jude An Expositional Commentary) Spurgeon - Some of the best Christians, who come to the Lord’s table, come there in great fear and trembling; and I have known some, who have had an undoubted right to be there, half afraid to come. Yet those very persons who have a holy fear lest they should come amiss, are those who really ought to come. “Feeding themselves without fear” is the mark of those who are farther off from God. William Barclay - This is one of the great passages of invective of the New Testament. It is blazing moral indignation at its hottest....Here is a series of vivid pictures, every one with significance. Let us take them one by one. They are like hidden rocks which threaten to wreck the Love Feasts of the Church. This is the one case in which there is doubt about what Jude is actually saying but of one thing there is no doubt--the evil men were a peril to the Love Feasts. The Love Feast, the Agape, was one of the earliest features of the Church. It was a meal of fellowship held on the Lord's Day. To it everyone brought what he could, and all shared alike. It was a lovely idea that the Christians in each little house church should sit down on the Lord's Day to eat in fellowship together. No doubt there were some who could bring much and others who could bring only little. For many of the slaves it was perhaps the only decent meal they ever ate. But very soon the Agape began to go wrong. We can see it going wrong in the church at Corinth, when Paul declares that at the Corinthian Love Feasts there is nothing but division. They are divided into cliques and sections; some have too much, and others starve; and the meal for some has become a drunken revel (1Cor 11:17-22). Unless the Agape was a true fellowship, it was a travesty, and very soon it had begun to belie its name...In the Love Feast people were very close together in heart and there was the kiss of peace. These wicked men were using the Love Feasts as a cloak under which to gratify their lusts. It is a dreadful thing, if men enter into the church and use the opportunities which its fellowship gives for their own perverted ends. These men were like sunken rocks on which the fellowship of the Love Feasts was in danger of being wrecked. These wicked men revel in their own cliques and have no feeling of responsibility for anyone except themselves. These two things go together for they both stress their essential selfishness. (a) They revel in their own cliques without a qualm. This is exactly the situation which Paul condemns in First Corinthians. The Love Feast was supposed to be an act of fellowship; and the fellowship was demonstrated by the sharing of all things. Instead of sharing, the wicked men kept to their own clique and kept to themselves all they had. In First Corinthians Paul actually goes the length of saying that the Love Feast could become a drunken revel in which every man grabbed at all that he could get (1 Corinthians 11:21). No man can ever claim to know what church membership means, if in the church he is out for what he can get and remains within his own little group. (b) We have translated the next phrase: "They have no feeling of responsibility for anyone except themselves." The Greek literally means "shepherding themselves." The duty of a leader of the Church is to be a shepherd of the flock of God (Acts 20:28). The false shepherd cared far more for himself than for the sheep which were supposed to be within his care. Ezekiel describes the false shepherds from whom their privileges were to be taken away: "As I live, says the Lord God, because my sheep have become a prey and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd; and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep.... Behold I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep" (Ezekiel 34:8-10). The man who feels no responsibility for the welfare of anyone except himself stands condemned. So, then, Jude condemns the selfishness which destroys fellowship and the lack of the sense of responsibility for others. (Jude - Barclay's Daily Study Bible) WATERLESS CLOUDS Clouds without water - The interpretation of this metaphor is relatively straightforward. We've all seen the sky darken up with billowy, dark, water laden thunderclouds and prepared for the sure shower of refreshing rain, only to have it pass by, yielding no rain, and for desperate farmers, no crop! These apostates have an air of authenticity about themselves, offering hope to the church that they can bring needed spiritual "rain," but in fact they cannot. They are like the false teachers Peter describes, "promising freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption." (2Peter 2:19) Their promise of liberty only yields bondage! Peter characterized these false teachers as "springs without water" instead of "clouds without water." (2Pe 2:17). Constable - Like clouds the false teachers attracted attention to themselves and promised refreshment, but they proved to be all show and no substance (Jude) Hiebert - Kelly observes, “The traveller in Syria and Jordan, Lebanon and Israel is often exasperated by heavy clouds which fail to dissolve in rain and only augment the excessive heat.” The picture is the opposite of that given by Jesus in Luke 12:54. Jude’s figure characterizes these individuals as “men of promise but no performance.” They appear on the scene with their eloquent promises of refreshment and enrichment for those who will follow them, but they produce nothing that contributes to the spiritual nurture and establishment of believers. Like “waterless clouds” (nephelai anudroi), they proved themselves to be spiritually barren, offering nothing that nurtured the soul. The figure depicts their ostentatious and deceptive character; they arouse great expectations but leave behind no fructifying influences. (Second Peter and Jude An Expositional Commentary) Barclay - The wicked men are like clouds blown past by the wind, which drop no rain and like trees in harvest time which have no fruit. These two phrases go together, for they describe people who make great claims but are essentially useless. There were times in Palestine when people would pray for rain. At such a time a cloud might pass across the sky, bringing with it the promise of rain. But there were times when the promise was only an illusion, the cloud was blown on and the rain never came. (Jude - Barclay's Daily Study Bible) Wiersbe - The Word of God is sometimes compared to the rain and the dew. “My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distill as the dew” (Deut. 32:2). Isaiah 55:10 compares God’s Word to the rain and snow from heaven that bring fruit on the earth. Like the clouds in the sky, the false teachers may be prominent and even attractive; but if they cannot bring rain, they are useless. (Be Alert 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Jude- Beware of the Religious Impostors) MacArthur - The term translated without water (anudros from a = without, + húdor = water. ) also occurs in Mt 12:43 in reference to the wanderings of evil spirits through dry and barren places (cf. Lk 11:24–26). By describing false teachers in the same way that Luke describes demons, Jude reiterated the connection between the apostates and their satanic sources. (2Peter and Jude MacArthur New Testament Commentary) Solomon gives us a similar picture that is an excellent description of the apostates in Jude... Like (simile) clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely. (Pr 25:14 Comment by Charles Bridges - Suppose a drought, as in the days of Elijah, threatening desolation to the land, and a thick cloud, seemingly big with the fruitful blessing, yet passing over—the wind without rain. This is a true picture of the boaster; rich in promises, but performing nothing; exciting large expectations, then sinking them in disappointment. Whether it be a vain conceit of his own understanding, or an hypocritical desire to maintain a profession, it is a boasting in a gift of falsehood. If it be bad to promise and deceive; it is far worse to promise with an intention to deceive. This was the very character of the Great Deceiver (cf Ge 3:1, Rev 12:9-note). Did he not put before our unhappy parent (Adam and Eve) a false gift—a promise, which could never be realized—“Ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil?” (Ge 3:5) Nay—did he not with a presumption, that hell itself might almost be ashamed of, boast himself of his false gift, offering the world to its own Maker, as a temptation to the vilest blasphemy (Mt 4:8-10)? How melancholy is it to find this character in those, who stand in the place of God! Yet the church has ever been chastened with false teachers; ministering delusion, instead of instruction. (1Ki 22:11, Jer. 5:31, with 2Co 11:13–15, Gal. 1:7-note. Cp. 2Pet. 2:17-19-note, Jude 1:12, 16) And are there none among ourselves, feeding the flock with false gifts; seeking to maintain their hollow profession even in the sight of Him, whose frown at the great day will banish them for ever from his presence? (Mt 7:22-23-note) Oh! let those that bear the Lord’s message, take heed, that if they be counted “as deceivers,” they may be “yet true.” (2Cor 6:8) Not as those, which corrupt the word of God; but as of sincerity, as of God, in the “sight of God,” let them “speak in Christ.” (2Cor 2:17, cp Pr 4:2) Carried along (periphero) by winds - This metaphor "indicates that it is unsafe to follow such men. It does not merely indicate their own instability....Not only are these men unstable in themselves, but any one who follow them will be led astray from the path of truth and purity. This meaning is in full accord with the thrust of this epistle." (Hiebert) FRUITLESS AUTUMN TREES Autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted - "Autumn" is more accurately "late autumn" as translated in the Amplified version = "without fruit at the late autumn gathering time." Late autumn was the time when trees would have had no leaves much less fruit on their branches. "The adjective, which appears only here in the New Testament, is commonly understood to denote a time of late autumn at the very end of the fruit harvest; then the meaning is that these trees without fruit at that season demonstrate their unproductive nature. They have failed to fulfil the purpose of their existence." (Hiebert) The thrust of this metaphor is that these apostates totally lack productivity (for themselves or toward others) in the spiritual realm. They may teach or preach, but they have nothing to give. And "not only are they fruitless, but they are also rootless" (Wiersbe) They are unable to bear spiritual fruit because they are not genuine believers. They lack spiritual life, because they lack spiritual roots, regardless of how eloquently or how often they themselves quote from the Bible! "Fruit has in it the seed for more fruit (Ge 1:11–12). One of the evidences that a ministry is truly of God is that the fruit multiplies. Manufactured “results” are sterile and dead, but true fruit continues to grow and reproduce itself in the lives of others." (Wiersbe) Autumn trees (phthinopopinos from phthíno = to decay, fail, wither, waste away + opora = autumn [see below for more detail]) literally means belonging to late autumn and describes the trees in autumn which are generally fruitless and bare (most fruit is harvested by late autumn and the trees have shed their leaves). Jude uses phthinopopinos metaphorically to describe the apostate teachers of no help at all, useless. The root word opora is literally time of juice. Since autumn is the season when fruits in general are full of juice and when the juices of grapes, apples, and so forth, are pressed out. But since these trees are akarpos (without fruit), this would more likely be depicting the trees in late autumn. Without fruit (Unfruitful) (akarpos) means barren, without fruit, unprofitable, depicting a tree without fruit under the most favorable of circumstances. Because these men bear no fruit (karpos), they clearly are not born again (cf Mt 3:8, Acts 26:20, supernatural good works of Eph 2:10-note naturally follow the supernatural transformation of Eph 2:8-9-note) In this context good fruit is synonymous with good deeds (good works) - See discussion of Good Deeds W E Vine has a nice summary of the Biblical concept of "fruit" (karpos) = Fruit, Fruitful, Unfruitful Larry Richards summarizes the Biblical concept of spiritual fruit writing that "Fruitfulness is a consistent concept in the OT and the NT. The fruit God seeks in human beings is expressed in righteous and loving acts that bring peace and harmony to the individual and to society. But that fruit is foreign to sinful human nature (sarx) (Ed Comment: Which is why the apostates Jude describes bore no fruit -- they were energized solely by the fallen flesh, which can do absolutely nothing that is pleasing to God!). Energized by sinful passions, fallen humanity acts in ways that harm and bring dissension. God's solution is found in a personal relationship with Jesus and in the supernatural working of God's Spirit within the believer. As we live in intimate, obedient relationship with Jesus, God's Spirit energizes us as we produce the peaceable fruits of a righteousness that can come only from the Lord. (Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency) Barclay - In any harvest time there were trees which looked as if they were heavy with fruit but which, when men came to gather from them, gave no fruit at all. At the heart of this lies a great truth. Promise without performance is useless and in the New Testament nothing is so unsparingly condemned as uselessness. No amount of outward show or fine words will take the place of usefulness to others. As it has been put: "If a man is not good for something, he is good for nothing." (Jude - Barclay's Daily Study Bible) Uprooted ("plucked up by the root") (1610) (ekrizoo from ek = out + rhizoo = to root) means literally to pull out by the roots, and used here in Jude metaphorically of course, " leaving no question concerning their hopeless state...The epithets lead to a natural climax: fruitless, lifeless, rootless." (Hiebert) MacArthur - They are like trees that have come out of the ground, disconnected from the life-giving source of water and nutrients. As Jesus said of the Pharisees, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted” (Matt. 15:13; cf. Mt 3:10; 7:17–20; 13:6). Such people produce no life-changing fruit, neither in themselves nor in others. (2Peter and Jude MacArthur New Testament Commentary) Doubly dead (dead = apothnesko) = Not only the apparent death of winter, but a real death; so that it only remains to pluck them up by the roots. NET Note - Twice dead (doubly dead) probably has no relevance to the tree metaphor, but has great applicability to these false teachers. As in Rev 20:6-note (see chart on "Participation in Births, Deaths and Resurrections), those who die twice are those who die physically and spiritually. The aphorism is true: “born once, die twice; born twice, die once” (cf. Rev 20:5-note; Jn 3, 11). Constable on doubly dead (twice dead) - Farmers often dig trees that bear no fruit out of the ground (Ed: See Lk 3:9, 13:7). The false teachers bore no spiritual fruit and were incapable of bearing spiritual fruit; they were twice dead...Another view is that twice dead means dead through and through. [Note: The Twentieth Century New Testament.] A third view is that it means dead in reality as well as in appearance. [Note: Alford, 4:537.] A fourth view is that it means presently dead in sin and destined for eternal death. [Note: Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 261.] An uprooted tree is an Old Testament symbol of divine judgment (cf. Ps 52:5-note; Pr 2:22; Jer 1:10). (Jude) Matthew Henry - Trees they are, for they are planted in the Lord's vineyard, yet fruitless ones. Observe, Those whose fruit withers may be justly said to be without fruit. As good never a whit as never the better. It is a sad thing when men seem to begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh, which is almost as common a case as it is an awful one....Plucked up by the roots, as we commonly serve dead trees, from which we expect no more fruit. They are dead, dead, dead; why cumber they the ground? Away with them to the fire. Jesus gave us a similar metaphorical marker of false versus true... Beware (prosecho in the present imperative = command for continual vigilance) of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (cf "punishment of eternal fire" = Jude 1:7; "destroyed" = Jude 1:10; "perished" = Jude 1:11). So then, you will know them by their fruits. (Mt 7:15-20-note) ><>><>><> UNCLOUDED TRUTH - The book of Jude contains one of the most vivid and interesting descriptions of apostate teachers. These people who heap up for themselves the severe and certain judgment of God (Jude 1:4) are likened to “clouds without water” (Jude 1:12). Such individuals claim to be heavenly messengers with superior knowledge or power. Others more subtly put on “sheep’s clothing” (Mt. 7:15) and exhibit a superficial beauty of form and purpose but deny the Lord who bought them (2 Pet. 2:1). Having no absolute standards of truth because they reject the infallibility of the Bible, they naturally are constantly changing their position and are thus said to be “carried about by the winds” (Jude 12). Do not many present-day preachers fall into this category? They thunder in their pulpits and give out high-sounding promises of thirst-quenching truth, but they leave the hearts of men parched deserts of death. Because such “ravenous wolves” (Mt. 7:15) have disguised themselves as sheep and infiltrated the flock, we ought to heed the admonition of Jude, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God” (Jude 1:20-21). - Henry G. Bosch Holy Bible, book divine, Precious treasure, thou art mine: Mine to tell me whence I came, Mine to teach me what I am. —Burton To avoid being pulled into error, Keep a firm grip on the truth.